Israel is suppressing Palestinian uprisings to protest Israelis

To the editor: Ben Ehrenreich’s essay about what the Israeli government does to the Palestinians leaves a lot out. Reading it, one would think that the government has really nothing else to do but ruin the lives of innocent Palestinians for no reason at all. (“Are Democrats finally ready for a real debate on U.S.-Israel policy?” Opinion, June 16)

Though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions might be heavy-handed, they are directed at Palestinians who randomly stab Israelis, plow into crowds of Israelis with cars and trucks, shoot at them and sometimes explode themselves in buses, restaurants, cafes and other gathering spots.

If I were living in Israel or in any country where this was happening, I would want some drastic protection from my government. Why shouldn’t Israelis have the same expectations for protection that citizens of any other country would have in these circumstances?

Israeli lives matter too.

Sara L. Cannon, Santa Monica

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To the editor: Israel has lost the moral high ground.

From the very beginning, as Palestinian farmers, shopkeepers, businessmen and families were forced out, there has been no concerted effort by Israel’s government to provide credible relief to the dispossessed. Attacks and uprisings are no excuse. They should have been expected given the circumstances.

Only an overt and successful campaign to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinians would have helped resolve the situation. Instead, Israel has taken the opposite approach. It won’t work. The root cause of the conflict has not been addressed.

The world has begun to question this approach, and if the signs in America are true, Israel is going to find itself in a much more dangerous position. Better look for a new strategy.

W.R. Frederick, Tarzana

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To the editor: Israel does not arrest Palestinian youths or demolish their homes for fun. Since the beginning of last year, dozens of innocent Israelis have been killed by Palestinians.

Palestinians have been offered a state on numerous occasions, but their leaders have rejected one. Israel withdrew unilaterally from the Gaza Strip in 2005 and has experienced thousands of rocket attacks on its civilians ever since. It has withdrawn from many areas of the West Bank.

The conflict has devolved over the years to a point where distrust on both sides makes it hard to see a way forward. But this issue is not one-sided as Ehrenreich would have us believe.

If he wants to present a case for the Palestinians, he should at least provide a context.

Pauline Regev, Santa Monica

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